Harp-cithern



(No Model.)

F. .MBNZENHAUBR.

HARP CITHERN.

N0. 574,746. Patented Jan. 5, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK MENZENIIAUER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWT JERSEY.

HARP-CITHERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,746, dated January5, 1897.

Application tiled October 28, 1896. Serial No. 610,292. (No model T0 @ZZwhom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK MENZEN- HAUER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State ot'New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harp-Citherns, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to an improved musical instrument which combinesto some extent the advantages of a harp and a cithern and which can bebuilt in larger sizes and played with great facility without any specialvknowledge of the ordinarynotation of music,

as the melody is played on a group of leadingstrin gs and theaccompaniment is played on a group of accom panimen t-strin gs in thenature of a harp; and the invention consists of a musical instrument orharp-cithern comprising an upright sounding-board arranged on a suitablebase, an open scale of strings arranged to extend over the rear part ofthe sounding-board, which is in turn provided with an opening extendingtransversely across the group of leading-strings, and a number ofaccompaniment-strings arranged at the fore part of the sounding-board,said accompaniment-strings being arranged in groups which are tuned tothe intervals of separate harmonic chords for the leadingstrings.

The invention consists, further, of a musical instrument or harp-cithernin which, across the lower part of the groups of accompaniment-strings,is arranged a transverse fret-board provided with frets, so that onestring of each group can be acted upon by a pivoted presser-baract-uated by a pedal connected thereto, thereby enabling theaccompaniment-chords to be played either in major or minor key, asrequired by the melody played on the leading-strings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of myimproved harp-cithern. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of thesame on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section online 3 3, Fig. l; and Fig. is a detail front View of the transversefret-board, showing the individual frets for changing one of the stringsof each chord to the major or minor key, as required.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sounding-board of myimproved musical instru 1n ent,which I have given the name harpcithernbecause it partakes of the character of both the harp and cithern. Thegeneral shape of the sounding-board A is like that of a harp, beinghighest at its front part and diminished in height at its rear part andsupported in upright position on a base I3, So

that it can be placed like a harp between thev feet of the player andplayed by the hands in the nature of a harp.

The harp-eithern can be made in any desired size from instruments ofsmaller size, adapted for the use of children, to instruments whichcorrespond to the size ot' an ordinary harp.

At the rear part, at the right-hand side of the sounding-board A, isarranged an open scale of strings C, while at the front part of theinstrument is arranged a number of accompaniment-strings C', which arearranged in groups, from three groups upward, the strings oi' each groupbeing tuned to the intervals of separate harm onic chords of thecorresponding leading-strings in the open scale of strings C. The groupsof strings C' furnish the accompaniment-chords for the strings of theopen scale C and produce by vibrating in one group a full harmonicaccompaniment to the leading or melody strings. The chordstrings C' arepreferably arranged in groups of four strings each, one of the stringsbeing the lowest or base string of the group.

In the rear part of the sounding-board A is arranged transversely to theleading strings an opening a of sufficient width to permit the tin gersof the right hand to pass through the opening and sound theleading-strings, while the left hand is used for sounding the groups ofaccompaniment or chord strings. Above the transverse opening a in thesoundingboard A is arranged, below the strings, a socalled musical slip7d, on which are the names corresponding to the leading and accompanimentstrings and iigures which indicate the leading strings and chords, sothat the piece of music can be played from musicsheets which are notprinted in the ordinary IOO .musical notation, but so as to indicate the'numbers of the leading-strings and the numbers of the correspondingchords of the accompaniment-strings, whereby the art of playing' on thismusical instrument can be acquired with comparatively little practiceand without studying the ordinary musicalY notation.

Below the lower ends ol the different chords of accompaniment-strings isarranged a stationary fret E, which is provided with individual :fretse, one for each chord, said frets being located below that string of theaccompaniment-chord by which the change oi' the chord from the major tothe minor liey is obtained. Above the fret-board and in l'ront ot' thestrings is arranged a centrally-pivoted and oscillating presser-bar l?,the pivots of which turn in suitable bearings D, attached to thesounding-board at the ends et the presser-bar, and which is provided inl'ront ol. each individual fret e with a presser-linger The Iingersjl ofthe presser-bar are pressed aga-inst the individual string of eachchord, below which the l'ret e is arranged, by means ol a pedal I), thatis attached to the presserbar li and which is guided in a slot S in thebase B, the lower part of the pedal-shank being actuated by a helicalspring g, that is interposed between the shank of the pedal andthesoeket for the same in the base, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring gpresses the pedal in outward direction and thereby the presserbar withits iingers away from the frets, so that the minor key is sounded whenthe pedal is not depressed.

lVhen'ever the melody requires that a major hey be sounded l'or one ofthe leading-strings, the pedal is depressed and thereby the presserbarand its fingers moved against the strings7 so that then either one ofthe groups of accolnpaniment-strings may be sounded in the major key. Asthe pedal is operated by the feet the playing of theaceompaniment-ehords in the major or minor key is in full control, andthereby the range and charm oi my improved instrument is considerablyenhanced.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim isl. A musicalinstrument or harp-cithern, consisting of a sounding-board provided witha transverse opening in its middle rear portion; an open seal e ot'lezuling-strin arranged on the rear portion of the sonndi11g-board, andextending across the opening, and a number of groups oi'accompaniment-strings arran ged at the front portion of thesounding-benul, the strings of each group being tuned to the intervalsoi separate harmonic chords ol' the leading-strings, substantially asset forth.

2. A musical instrument or harp-eithern, eonsistingoi' an uprightsonndi11g-board made in the form of a harp and provided with. atransverse opening in the middle rear portion oi' the same, a base .lfersupporting the sounding-board in upright position7 an open scale olfleading-strings on the rear part oi the sounding-board extending acrossthe transverse opening'in the same, and a number olf groups ofaccompaniment-strings arranged on the i'ront part of thesoundilig-board, each group olI accompanimeut-strings heilig tuned tothe intervals el. the sepa rate harmonic chords ol.' theleading-strings, substantially as set Forth.

5. A musical instrument or harp-cithern, composed of an uprightsonnding-board in the form of a harp and provided with a transverseopening' at the middle rear portion oli' the souinling-board, an openscale ot' leadingstrings arranged at the rear portion ol thesounding-board, a number of groups ol accompaniment-strings arranged onthe it'ront part ol' the sounding-lmard, the strings oi' each groupbeing tuned to the intervals ol. separate harmonic chords oi theleading-strings, a fret-board provided with. individual. frets below oneof the strings oi each group ol;l aecompanimeiit-strings, a pivotediin'csser-bar provided with iingers in front of the strings adjacent towhich the frets are arranged, and a spring-actuated pedal. applied tothe presserbar and adapted to aetuate the presser-bar so as to bepressed on. the strings or moved away ltherefrom and produce thereby theplay of the groups of accompaninlent-strings in the major or minor keyas required, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK MENZ ENI lAl'lCl lllitnesses:

PAUL Gonrnt, GEO. W. Mening.

